Looking for theming help.

First off, I would like to say, I know nothing about themeing Android:icon_eek:, which is why I'm posting this.

My basic knowledge is: framework.apk in /sys is where the theming is kept. I know how to pull it from my phone, but do not know how to edit/open a .apk once its on my computer. Thats it. Thats all I know when it comes to theming. I don't know how to use the SDK or command prompts or what the individual files are in the apk.

What I do know is graphic design, which makes me want to get into this.

What I'm trying to do is take part of a theme I like and port it to a different ROM, with my own added touches. I contacted the original developer, but since he doesn't have the phone I have(Droid A855), he has no experience on how to port it himself. In fact I was able to port his theme over from a CM ROM to Bugless v0.5 using a program I found online. However I'm unable to port the theme to Bugless v0.6. I assume this because v0.6 has bits of Gingerbread in it, and things aren't lining up.

More specifically, I'm looking to do the following:
-Take a theme that works on Bugless V0.5 and get it to work on Bugless V0.6
-I'd be happy with just porting the status bar and all the icons that come with the status bar(Wifi, battery, downloading, downloading complete, sms etc...) and the notification menu with the ability for me to change a few of the icons.

I understand that this may be or may not be a lot of work for someone to tell me how to do this, due my 0 knowledge of anything like this. But if anyone is wiling to write up a step by step guide on how to do this, I would be wiling to paypal for the first person to do this some money(up to $25).:icon_ banana:

Theme DeveloperPremium Member

if you ported it over from rom to another that were FROYO and having problems with gb roms or roms with gb implemented, it's cause the icons have been not only named differently but also are split between framework-res AND systemui.apk... opening an apk on a pc is easy, just download a zip program like 7zip (free and wonderful).. extract the zipped folder into "folder name\".. then inside that unzipped folder will be all the apk's.. right click on one, choose 7zip, then extract to "apk name\".. now you can view the png's free and clear and can access them inside your photo editor too... if you just choose to "open archive" in 7zip, the files are all there, but they aren't visible as a whole, you have to click on each one to see the actual icon... I'll look at the BB rom and see exactly what and where the newly named icons are at and I'll pm ya with that info.. Mbk has themed that rom I believe so he might know right off the bat... I had the BB rom FRG83Dv061 on my pc and it doens't have a systemui.apk so I might have the wrong version of that rom... if I don't tho, and this is the one you are trying to port to let me know and I can help ya.. no money needed tho.. what's the theme you are trying to port over BTW?...

if you ported it over from rom to another that were FROYO and having problems with gb roms or roms with gb implemented, it's cause the icons have been not only named differently but also are split between framework-res AND systemui.apk... opening an apk on a pc is easy, just download a zip program like 7zip (free and wonderful).. extract the zipped folder into "folder name\".. then inside that unzipped folder will be all the apk's.. right click on one, choose 7zip, then extract to "apk name\".. now you can view the png's free and clear and can access them inside your photo editor too... if you just choose to "open archive" in 7zip, the files are all there, but they aren't visible as a whole, you have to click on each one to see the actual icon... I'll look at the BB rom and see exactly what and where the newly named icons are at and I'll pm ya with that info.. Mbk has themed that rom I believe so he might know right off the bat... I had the BB rom FRG83Dv061 on my pc and it doens't have a systemui.apk so I might have the wrong version of that rom... if I don't tho, and this is the one you are trying to port to let me know and I can help ya.. no money needed tho.. what's the theme you are trying to port over BTW?...

Click to expand...

Yes I went from Froyo to Froyo, but it was more complicated than that. The theme was made for a version of Cyanogenmod that didn't even work with Cyanogenmod on the Droid naturally. I had to use a theme porting script to create a new framework.apk

Once I had the framework.apk I decided later to switch over to BB0.V5 which I then had to use the script again to get it to work on BB0.V5

As for opening the files, I figure that out, but once you open framework.apk there is like 4 folders there then each of those folders have 4 folders and then some of those have like 1000+ images. I'm not even sure where all those images are used, because some I haven't even seen when using the theme.

And correct, I'm trying to put the theme onto FRG83Dv061. And a script does not work.

As for the theme, I'm not sure where I can get you a copy of it at. The maker use to have it on XDA months ago, but since then looks like he has pulled it and hasn't visited XDA in a long time. I have a copy on my phone, I could maybe upload.

Theme DeveloperPremium Member

To my knowledge, a theme is just a bunch of edited png's so if a theme is meant for 1 rom or phone, it can usually be ported over easily minus any xml edits... so even if you created a new framework res, the names of the icons is what matters and of course the directory they go to... the original DROID utilizes the drawable-HDPI folder.. the path is framework-res/res/drawable-hdpi... in there are the majority of the icons... donwload complete and sms/mms notifications aren't in there tho.... but 3g, battery, signal, wifi, download and upload, a majority of menu icons, etc are....

To my knowledge, a theme is just a bunch of edited png's so if a theme is meant for 1 rom or phone, it can usually be ported over easily minus any xml edits... so even if you created a new framework res, the names of the icons is what matters and of course the directory they go to... the original DROID utilizes the drawable-HDPI folder.. the path is framework-res/res/drawable-hdpi... in there are the majority of the icons... donwload complete and sms/mms notifications aren't in there tho.... but 3g, battery, signal, wifi, download and upload, a majority of menu icons, etc are....

Sent from my Droid using DroidForums App

Click to expand...

I looked through drawable-HDPI folder for both and they do match up just with different images for the most part.So in theory all I have to do is copy the new images over on top of the Bugless Beast images and just put it back into a .zip and flash it?

Now where are things like the xml files to edit text color, e.g. the clock color, date color, notification color.

Theme DeveloperPremium Member

also, frg83d is still froyo I'm pretty sure.. it's an upgrade from frg22d so I would like to see that theme, whether it's from the guy or the one you have already ported... cause this shouldn't be nearly as difficult as it seems to be, regardless of your "0" knowledge... lol

Theme DeveloperPremium Member

Here is how to do it and make sure it works when you stick it back on your phone...

download 7zip (use the lates beta version and not the regualr version). Use 7zip to "open archive" the framework... navigate into the res folder and then the drag drawable-hdpi and drawable-land-hdpi folders off onto your desktop. Edit the images freely using you favorit image editor. Unless you want a more detailed explnation from me, stay away from the .9.png files. Also, if you completely swap out an image for your own, make sure its the same size.

Once you are done making all your edits, use 7zip to open the framework that you want to put the images in. drag your images that you edited into their respective folders in the framework. Close 7zip. Say "yes" to update the archive.

Theme DeveloperPremium Member

To my knowledge, a theme is just a bunch of edited png's so if a theme is meant for 1 rom or phone, it can usually be ported over easily minus any xml edits... so even if you created a new framework res, the names of the icons is what matters and of course the directory they go to... the original DROID utilizes the drawable-HDPI folder.. the path is framework-res/res/drawable-hdpi... in there are the majority of the icons... donwload complete and sms/mms notifications aren't in there tho.... but 3g, battery, signal, wifi, download and upload, a majority of menu icons, etc are....

Sent from my Droid using DroidForums App

Click to expand...

I looked through drawable-HDPI folder for both and they do match up just with different images for the most part.So in theory all I have to do is copy the new images over on top of the Bugless Beast images and just put it back into a .zip and flash it?

Now where are things like the xml files to edit text color, e.g. the clock color, date color, notification color.

Also where is the keyboard located to theme that?

Click to expand...

I haven't ran bb so I don't know if that's an option that can be changed in settings or not... like CM and UD and PE all have their own settings menu where you can change all of those colors quickly, then reboot..
otherwise you're looking at something beyond me, I edit xml's in my themes but I think those are .jar files or .smali and I have no knowledge there..

To my knowledge, a theme is just a bunch of edited png's so if a theme is meant for 1 rom or phone, it can usually be ported over easily minus any xml edits... so even if you created a new framework res, the names of the icons is what matters and of course the directory they go to... the original DROID utilizes the drawable-HDPI folder.. the path is framework-res/res/drawable-hdpi... in there are the majority of the icons... donwload complete and sms/mms notifications aren't in there tho.... but 3g, battery, signal, wifi, download and upload, a majority of menu icons, etc are....

Sent from my Droid using DroidForums App

Click to expand...

I looked through drawable-HDPI folder for both and they do match up just with different images for the most part.So in theory all I have to do is copy the new images over on top of the Bugless Beast images and just put it back into a .zip and flash it?

Now where are things like the xml files to edit text color, e.g. the clock color, date color, notification color.

Also where is the keyboard located to theme that?

Click to expand...

I haven't ran bb so I don't know if that's an option that can be changed in settings or not... like CM and UD and PE all have their own settings menu where you can change all of those colors quickly, then reboot..
otherwise you're looking at something beyond me, I edit xml's in my themes but I think those are .jar files or .smali and I have no knowledge there..

Click to expand...

There is a framework.jar file in BB, but not in my theme. What is that exactly?